Chapter 2: Values and Ethics

What are two reasons why value assumptions are important

1) Many arguments between individuals and groups are primarily based on strongly held values that need to be understood and, if possible, respected. 2) An issue that continues to be unresolved or bitterly contested often involves cherished values on both sides. Its called value conflicts.

What fictional character do you admire most? What does my answer reveal about my values?

I dont even know. I need to watch more disney movies.

How do you get self-esteem?

It is won on the battlegrounds where immediate gratification goes up against character.

As a critical thinking, why is it important to understand and be honest about my behavior?

So that I can distinguish my words from my actions

What do issues involving conflicting values usually generate?

They generate conclusions that answer the question "where to draw the line?"

What is one thing that your values influence?

They influence your interests

What is one example of an issue involving conflicting values? How are the values conflicting?

Whether or not to ban smoking in public to protect the health of nonsmokers. Utilitarianism and libertarianism values are conflicting in this issue. Banning smoking in public places could be seen as supporting the utilitarian value of highest good for the most people. But opposing the ban on smoking in public places could be seen as supporting the libertarian value of promoting freedom. What is a compromise? Creating smoke-free indoor work places on utilitarian grounds; one can draw the line on libertarian grounds- when antismoking groups tried to ban smoking outdoors. One should argue, "It's getting to the point where we're trying to protect people from something that's not a public health hazard."

Who said this? "what is wrong is wrong, even if everyone is doing it. Right is right, even if no one else is doing it."

William Penn, 1644: he was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania

When a conflict involves an ethical dilemma, what are you being asked?

You are being asked to choose whether one action or policy is more ethical than another.

When someone has integrity what do you say about that person?

You may say they have morals

If want to be unhappy and and have low self esteem, what should you do?

You should give into immediate gratification

What reflects your ethical principles?

Your answer to moral dilemmas.

What are value assumptions?

beliefs about what is good and important that for the basic of an individual's opinion on issues and decisions

What are values?

beliefs, ideals, or principles that are considered worthy and held in high regard

When morals are codified into a system what do we call them?

ethics

What is egalitarianism?

the highest ethical value is equality, which means justice and opportunities distributed equally

What are prima facie values?

the highest ethical values are universal ethical principles, such as honesty and respect for others; these principles are considered to be self-evident and obvious to rational individuals of every culture

What is value prioritization?

the process of choosing the most important values in an issue

what is the definition of integrity?

the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness:

what happens in an argument as a result of assumptions being taking for granted?

they are often left out of a written or spoken argument

What can most of us do as a result of our effort involved in living up to our standards?

we can mane a distinction between our ideal values and our real vales.

How do you stay steady through times of great temptation?

you have values

What happens when character triumphs?

you self esteem heightens

What has a greater social element in society, morals or values?

"morals have a greater social element to values and tend to have a very broad acceptance. Morals are far more about good and bad than other values. We thus judge others more strongly on morals than values. A person can be described as immoral, yet there is no word for them not following values."

In an argument what two forms do assumptions come in?

1) value assumptions 2) reality assumptions

When values concern right and wrong behavior, what do we call them?

Morals

Do all value conflicts have an ethical dimension?

No, look at the following value conflicts: 1) should you take a job that pays more but has evening hours, which you value for studying, or should you take a job that pays less but gives you the hours that you want 2) If you arrive home and notice that a cashier at a store gave you too much change, should you go back to the store and return the money? In the first example you need to decide what you value more- the extra money or the working hours you want. There is no ethical (good-bad) dimension to this decision; you can still study even if you take the job with the less desirable hours. The second dilemma is about your personal standards of right and wrong, or good and evil. Do you inconvenience yourself by making a trip to the store or sending the money back because you believe it is wrong to take what does not belong to you? Or do you believe that if you didn't intend to take the money, you are not responsible? What are your standards of right and wrong, especially regarding your relationship with others?

When you act upon your ideal values, what do people say about you.

People say you have integrity

What is a value conflict? Where do they occur?

They are disagreements about the most important values to be considered concerning an issue. These conflicting value assumptions can occur between groups or individuals or within an individual.

What are ideal values?

a value considered to be right and good

What are real values?

a value considered to be right and good that is acted upon in one's life.

What are a list of values?

achievement, friendship, fitness, adventure, family, promise keeping, caring, compassion, privacy, public service, challenge, traditions, honesty, perseverance, change, independence, safety, community, respect, faith, cooperation, responsibility, security, creativity, justice, education, stability, integrity, meaningful work, time, freedom, peace, wisdom, loyalty, diligence, innovation, humor, love, patience, gratitude, courage, and resiliency

What are reality assumptions?

beliefs about how the world is; they reflect what an individual takes for granted as factual information

What are value assumptions?

beliefs about how the world should be; they reflect an individual's viewpoint about which values are most important to consider in relation to a particular issue.

If ideal values are to become real, what needs to happen?

ideal values need to be consistent with your choices

assumptions

ideas we take for granted, that are based on the experiences, observations, or desires of an individual or group.

What are morals?

principles that distinguish right from wrong behavior

What are other words for values?

principles, values

what are ethics?

standards of conduct reflecting what is considered to be right behavior

When one chooses the more ethical option what does that mean?

that it's more just or principles

What is utilitarianism?

the highest ethical value is that which promotes the greatest general happiness and minimizes unhappiness

What is libertarianism?

the highest ethical value is to promote individual liberty

What is religious values?

the highest ethical values are based on faith and spiritual truth, such as loving God and one's neighbor